Robert Stevenson directs Joan Fontaine, Orson Welles and Margaret O’Brien in this classic adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s novel.

Visually, the black and white crispness is amazing. Gothic, often referencing the Universal horrors from a decade previous. I love Joan Fontaine but she is blatantly too naturally soft for this part. She isn’t helped by the fact that Orson is off away in his own little one man play. But Orson giving it large is a joy to watch and he makes the movie. The Mia Wasikowska version is probably the superior in terms of quality and faithfulness, but this is its own kind of pleasure. And young Elizabeth Taylor has an early fly by. What more do you want in 90 quick minutes?

8

Perfect Double Bill: I Walked With A Zombie (1943)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/ and my own Substack https://substack.com/@edinburghlaughterbulletin